Nissan Silvia S14 Portal

The S14 got a rough welcome. People called it too big and too soft after the sharp little S13, and for a while you could barely give them away. That has flipped hard: the wider body and the Kouki front end are now some of the best-loved lines Nissan ever drew, and underneath sits the same brilliant SR20. Here is the S14 range sorted so you can tell a good one from a project.

Zenki vs Kouki (the split that moves the price)

This is the S14 version of a Series 1 and Series 2, and it matters more here than on most cars. Zenki is the earlier car (1993 to 1996) with the rounder headlights. Kouki is the later one (1996 to 1998) with the narrower, angrier lights, subtly wider guards and sharper aero. The Kouki look is what most people chase, so a genuine Kouki K's carries a premium. Mechanically they are close, so buy the body you love. Just do not pay Kouki money for a Zenki with a converted front end.

Q's: the NA SR20DE

The Q's is the naturally aspirated one, about 160 horses. Same lovely chassis, no turbo. It is the cheaper way into an S14 and a clean base if you plan to swap boost in later. A tidy Q's is never a bad buy.

K's: the turbo SR20DET

The one you came for. The K's runs the SR20DET, around 220 factory horses (up from the S13's 205, thanks to variable cam timing and a bigger turbo), the same tough 2.0 turbo that makes the S-chassis such a tuning favourite. Five-speed FS5W71C box, factory LSD as standard, and a chassis that just works sideways. Find an unbutchered K's, ideally a Kouki, and you have the S14 everyone actually wants.

So which S14 do you actually want?

A Kouki K's if the wallet allows, a Zenki K's if it does not, and an honest Q's over a rough K's every single time. The engine is the easy part to sort. A straight, rust-free, unmodified shell is the hard part, so that is what you pay for. Buy the body, not the boost gauge.